SIR - Councillor Ian Lyons has opined that forcing British military personnel to go to Sierra Leone in an attempt to counter Ebola is a justified and proportionate response (Letters, October 17).

That a UK supported treatment centre has 12 of its 92 beds set aside for health care workers is indicative of the degree of proportionate risk to which it is considered they will be subjected.

Not much has changed in that 100 years ago we forced our troops into the carnage of the trenches and today we are forcing them to risk a horrible lingering death.

Do they have a choice, or being subject to military discipline, should they refuse to go will they be shot for cowardice?

If as Ian believes, Ebola is a serious global threat, then through there not being any effective vaccine or treatment, it may be that the only pragmatic solution is UN financed strict isolation of the infected areas supported by enforced quarantine until it has run its course.

He makes a very valid point that our lives are at greater threat from disease than violent conflict.

World resources would therefore be better spent on sanitation and water pollution than being used to finance the multi-national armaments industry.

John Pashley, Westcliffe Avenue, Baildon